MUI Calls for Rain Prayer as Drought, Fires Grip Indonesia

Jakarta, MINA – The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has called on Muslims across the country to perform the Istisqa (rain-seeking) prayer as drought and forest and land fires (karhutla) continue to affect several regions of Indonesia.

The appeal was made by MUI Deputy Chairman K.H. M. Cholil Nafis through his personal X (formerly Twitter) account on Thursday. He invited the public to pray for rain to fall in areas experiencing dry conditions and affected by fires.

According to Kyai Cholil, the Istisqa prayer is a form of spiritual effort and submission to Allah when facing drought. Its performance is expected to be part of a collective community effort in responding to conditions that impact people’s lives.

MUI emphasized that prayer and worship should go hand in hand with technical measures on the ground. The government and firefighters continue to undertake various efforts to combat forest and land fires, while the public can participate through prayer, environmental stewardship, and avoiding activities that could potentially trigger fires.

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Drought and forest fire conditions in several regions have affected communities, from disrupting daily activities to worsening air quality due to smoke. MUI hopes that mosque administrators, religious institutions, and communities in affected areas can coordinate the congregational performance of the Istisqa prayer.

The call also serves as a reminder that addressing forest and land fires requires comprehensive efforts—seeking divine help through prayer while maintaining environmental stewardship and supporting preventive measures.[]

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)

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